Q: Do you have any in-person appointments?

Due to the pandemic circumstances, I am currently focusing on telehealth sessions for clients based in New York and Florida.

 

Q: What kind of art materials are required?

Making art is not a requirement in our sessions. Art can be a part of the process only if the client would like. Clients will be required to provide their own art materials, because of this factor, art therapy directives will be flexible and creative based on what the client has available. A good place to start can be a sketchbook, drawing materials, coloring materials (colored pencils, markers, pastels) and paints. You can also save up materials from your household that may be useful in transforming (paper tubes, boxes, dried flowers, shells, leaves, stones, vases, and collage materials from newspapers, flyers, and magazines).

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Q. What is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is an expressive and psychodynamic form of therapy that incorporates various visual art modalities. Art therapy sessions focus on helping individuals access and process through their feelings in relation to emotional, mental, and sometimes physical challenges such as mental illness, general stress, chronic pain, physical illness, interpersonal conflict, behavior, self-esteem, and more. During sessions, one can expect the flexibility of talk therapy and art-making in a therapeutic, supportive, empathetic, and judgment-free zone. It is important to note that previous experience in visual arts or artistic talent is not needed. As opposed to a structured art class, the artwork made in session is never graded or viewed from the perspective of professional quality, but rather the lens of self-reflection, growth, change, discovery, and healing. One can also expect to be using various art materials and engaging in projects such as painting, drawing, clay, collage, yarn work, 3-D, digital, photography, beading, charcoal, stamping, pastels, fabric, mosaic, writing, and much more. For more information about art therapy services, please visit the American Art Therapy Association and New York State Education Department. 

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Q. What if I don't like art?

Good news for you, there is no expectation for clients to make artwork in sessions! I am licensed to practice both art therapy and talk-based psychotherapy as a creative arts therapist. This means that the dynamics of utilizing art-making and talk therapy can be formed around the client's comforts of treatment. I approach treatment with great flexibility as I understand that every client's therapy needs vary.

 

Q: Do you accept insurance?

For New York clients:

I am currently accepting Cigna insurance through Alma, an easy platform that takes away the complications of dealing with copayment billing papers, scheduling, etc.

For Florida clients:

I am currently accepting Cigna, Optum, and Aetna through Alma. Please see below for specific plans covered under these options.

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Optum

• UnitedHealthcare

• UnitedHealthcare Shared Services (UHSS)

• GEHA - UnitedHealthcare Shared Services (UHSS)

• Oscar

• Oxford

• UHC Student Resources

• UMR

• All Savers (UHC)

• Health Plans Inc

• Medica (Eligible if policy is commercial only)

• Surest (Formerly Bind)

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Aetna 

• Meritain

• Nippon

• Allied Benefit Systems

• GEHA - United Healthcare Shared Services (UHSS)

• Trustmark

• Trustmark Small Business Benefits

• Health Scope

• Christian Brothers Services

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Q: What do I do if my insurance won't cover sessions?

For other insurance policies, I am happy to provide the appropriate and needed information for clients to file a claim for out-of-network reimbursement. Many insurances will reimburse partial session fees. It will be helpful to ask your insurance about what percentage of the therapy session fee with a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (for New York clients) or a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (for Florida clients) will be reimbursed and if there is a maximum percentage?

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Q: What is Alma?

Alma is an easy platform that takes away the complications of dealing with copayment billing papers, scheduling, mishaps that may take place, etc. There is no cost to the client for seeing me through Alma. Once a consult is complete, I will make a profile for the client and send an email through Alma which will show the necessary documents and information that must be filled out. After that, all scheduling and meeting links will be done by Alma!

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Q: Why do you have an oyster in your logo? Isn't your practice about therapy and not oysters?

How observant! You are absolutely correct, my work is not about oysters. However, it does connect to a fun story. When I was in my graduate program, one of my professors had asked our class to create a symbol of why pursuing the field of creative arts therapy means so much to us. This symbol was meant to be a consistent reminder of the passion we have for our line of work as we were nearing the end of the program, about to head into the world pursuing our career dreams!

The symbol in my logo is the symbol that I created in my program. I saw a similarity between the work that's done in therapy sessions sand the process of a mollusk making a pearl. The natural process of pearl formation is quite impressive. The mollusk is essentially responding to something unwanted in its space, like a parasite or fragment of a shell, by building layers and layers over time of what ends up being the pearl. The process takes time, energy, and patience. And after a handful of years, the mollusk has a pearl.

Here's where I see the overlap: We may all have fragments of our lives and human experiences that we would want to simply "get rid of", but we can't. So how can we cope with it?

Through therapy, we can learn to build on what we have - and with time, energy, and patience, we can transform some of those fragments into new concepts that take a different shape and carry a different meaning.